diff --git a/headers/private/shared/Referenceable.h b/headers/private/shared/Referenceable.h
index 8a3c17071e..b59bee7362 100644
--- a/headers/private/shared/Referenceable.h
+++ b/headers/private/shared/Referenceable.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2004-2007, Ingo Weinhold, bonefish@users.sf.net. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright 2004-2009, Ingo Weinhold, ingo_weinhold@gmx.de.
  * Distributed under the terms of the MIT License.
  */
 #ifndef _REFERENCEABLE_H
@@ -15,21 +15,46 @@ class Referenceable {
 public:
 								Referenceable(
 									bool deleteWhenUnreferenced = true);
+										// TODO: The parameter is deprecated.
+										// Override LastReferenceReleased()
+										// instead!
 	virtual						~Referenceable();
 
-			void				AddReference()
-									{ atomic_add(&fReferenceCount, 1); }
-
-			bool				RemoveReference();	// returns true after last
+			void				AcquireReference();
+			bool				ReleaseReference();
+									// returns true after last
 
 			int32				CountReferences() const
 									{ return fReferenceCount; }
 
+			// deprecate aliases
+	inline	void				AddReference();
+	inline	bool				RemoveReference();
+
+protected:
+	virtual	void				FirstReferenceAcquired();
+	virtual	void				LastReferenceReleased();
+
 protected:
 			vint32				fReferenceCount;
 			bool				fDeleteWhenUnreferenced;
 };
 
+
+void
+Referenceable::AddReference()
+{
+	AcquireReference();
+}
+
+
+bool
+Referenceable::RemoveReference()
+{
+	return ReleaseReference();
+}
+
+
 // Reference
 template<typename Type = BPrivate::Referenceable>
 class Reference {
diff --git a/src/kits/support/Referenceable.cpp b/src/kits/support/Referenceable.cpp
index 2bbd6ff7fd..51d6fb6874 100644
--- a/src/kits/support/Referenceable.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/support/Referenceable.cpp
@@ -1,30 +1,50 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2005-2007, Ingo Weinhold, bonefish@users.sf.net. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright 2005-2009, Ingo Weinhold, ingo_weinhold@gmx.de.
  * Distributed under the terms of the MIT License.
  */
 
-
 #include <Referenceable.h>
 
 
-// constructor
 Referenceable::Referenceable(bool deleteWhenUnreferenced)
 	: fReferenceCount(1),
 	  fDeleteWhenUnreferenced(deleteWhenUnreferenced)
 {
 }
 
-// destructor
+
 Referenceable::~Referenceable()
 {
 }
 
-// RemoveReference
+
+void
+Referenceable::AcquireReference()
+{
+	if (atomic_add(&fReferenceCount, 1) == 0)
+		FirstReferenceAcquired();
+}
+
+
 bool
-Referenceable::RemoveReference()
+Referenceable::ReleaseReference()
 {
 	bool unreferenced = (atomic_add(&fReferenceCount, -1) == 1);
-	if (fDeleteWhenUnreferenced && unreferenced)
-		delete this;
+	if (unreferenced)
+		LastReferenceReleased();
 	return unreferenced;
 }
+
+
+void
+Referenceable::FirstReferenceAcquired()
+{
+}
+
+
+void
+Referenceable::LastReferenceReleased()
+{
+	if (fDeleteWhenUnreferenced)
+		delete this;
+}